JET NOTESJets’ kicker John Hall missed two key field goals yesterday, though one was the result of a low snap.

His second, however, was a potential damaging blow. He was wide left on a 34-yard attempt with 1:11 remaining in the game and the Jets clinging to a 15-14 lead.

“He’ll be fine,” Herman Edwards said. “He’ll kick for us next week.”

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The Jets knocked Bengals’ starting QB Akili Smith (3-13 as a starter) out of the game in the second quarter. As Jets’ SS Victor Green took Smith to the ground on a keeper, the QB’s left hamstring popped.

“The way I feel right now, I think I’m pretty much done for the year,” Smith said afterward. “I’m lost for words. I don’t know what’s going on around this place, I really don’t.”

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The Jets twice tried to convert two-point conversions and failed. They were the first two tries by Edwards . . . The Jets, the least-penalized team in the NFL entering the day, were flagged seven times for 55 yards. It was their second-highest total of the season.

Rookie Jamie Henderson made his first NFL INT when he picked off aJon Kitna Hail Mary to end the first half . . . Jets’ CB Marcus Coleman dropped two sure INTs in the game. FS Damien Robinson, who had his second of the year, also dropped one.

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One of the plays of the game for the Jets was a well-executed direct-snap to LaMont Jordan, who gained 16 yards in the red zone.

Vinny Testaverde was flanked wide left on the play and the snap went to Jordan, who faked a handoff to Martin and ran to his right for a first down. Testaverde later joked that he was in “one-on-one coverage” and was “surprised” Jordan didn’t pass to him.

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One of the bad turns in the game for the Bengals came at the start of the fourth quarter with the Jets trailing 14-3 and driving toward their first TD. Bengals’ FS Chris Carter dropped a sure INT that could have become a clinching TD.

“There’s no way we should have lost that game,” Carter said afterward. “In any other situation, I catch the ball. In this situation, I didn’t. Story of the ballgame right there.”

Martin said he felt the Jets were “blessed” when Carter dropped that ball.

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Testaverde’s two TD passes give him 238 for his career and moves him into 14th place on the NFL’s all-time list. He surpassed George Blanda and Jim Kelly yesterday. Len Dawson is next with 239.

Curtis Martin, who rushed for 78 yards on 24 carries, moved into second place on the Jets’ all-time rushing list, passing Emerson Boozer. Martin has 5,135 rushing yards as a Jet and trails only Freeman McNeil’s 8,074.